


Pukahaki Disease

by marbletexture



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Emetophobia, Emotional Hurt, Heavy Angst, M/M, Mention of Death, Mentions of Drowning, Multi, Multiple ships?, mentions of throwing up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-16 12:10:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8101930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marbletexture/pseuds/marbletexture
Summary: He never thought this disease would be mutated, he never thought this would happen to him. But the clock is running against him and he needs to find out who he's in love with before its too late.





	1. What's happening to me?

**Author's Note:**

> Pukahaki disease, similar to that of the hanahaki disease but instead of flowers, it's water and fish, slowly drowning with the water filling your lungs. There is no way to surgically remove this disease, your love has to either be reciprocated or you drown. It cannot be contracted or passed over.

The first time was when he felt a weird sensation bubbling in his chest, sort of heavy, lingering but he thought nothing of it. Knowing that it might’ve just been that he was feeling off. The second time was when he felt the cool sensation of water climbing up his throat, forcing him to double over and cough up water and…. Was that a tiny beta fish among the splattered water of the concrete by the fountain?

He was glad no one was there to witness this as he gently scooped up the beta fish, still clearly alive as it flopped around in his hand and he quickly set it into the water of the fountain he was currently sitting in, watching it swim away.

Had he really just coughed up water and a fish? Impossible. There was no such thing, was there?

The weird cooling sensation in the back of his throat was rather worrisome but in no way was he going to admit this or talk to this about anyone. Why would he? He couldn’t find any information on his condition and this in itself was troubling.

During morning classes, he’s had to excuse himself to the bathroom to cough up even more water, the stinging taste of saltwater lingering in his throat and mouth as his eyes stared down at the sight of a clown fish floating in the toilet’s water, horror and disgust settling into his emotions of realization. 

Kanata had to take the moment to sit there and just, openly gawk at the clownfish swimming in the toilet, staring blankly as it swam around before he slowly, weakly stood up and flushed the fish down the toilet, swallowing thickly in his throat and having to stop himself from gagging at the overwhelming taste of salt on his tastebuds.

The sickening sensation of having to throw up fish was horrifying, feeling it slide up your throat, the way it was alive as it wiggled and he coughed it up only to see it flop around if it lands on the floor or plunks into the toilet. 

Just the thought of coughing up water was enough but live fish? 

He felt sick. A hand flying over his mouth as he forced himself to not actually throw up this time.

Just what was happening to him? Why was this happening? Was he the first one to experience something like this?

If anything, all his searches all went back to the hanahaki disease, but this wasn’t the hanahaki disease. But could’ve it been similar? Did his body somehow mutate the hanahaki disease? Whatever the reason, he was terrified.

How did his body produce live fish? Living fish that swam, that were really much alive and not dead at all.

Just this fact that instead of flower petals, it was water and fish, was strange enough. If it wasn’t the hanahaki disease, then what was it? What could he call it? 

“Puka….Haki… Pukahaki…” The words left his mouth softly, almost disappearing in the wind with how quiet his voice sounded as he spoke the name, spoke the name of the disease, the new name, and how he will refer to it from now on.

It plagued his mind on why he got this, on how he got it and on how it mutated from the hanahaki disease. If it truly was similar in a sense, then that meant he had an unrequited love, a one-sided love and he just had to find out who it was. Fast.

If he was coughing up fish and water, it meant he was drowning, literally drowning on land. Water slowly filling up his lungs and killing him ever so slowly. He didn’t know how long he had to live. A day, two days? Maybe a week if he was lucky? 

Questions filled his mind as he sat in the fountain after school, staring down at the fish that now occupied it as well, and when people questioned it, he simply responded with “These fish had no ‘tanks’ so I put there ‘here to swim freely’ and they will ‘swim’ with me~” as if it didn’t phase him at all.

Of course, it was hard to speak with the lingering sensation of a slimy, flopping fish constantly trying to make its way up and out of his throat. And the heavy feeling of it getting slowly harder to breathe.

But he had time. He needed to make time. He needed to find out who he was in love with before it was too late.

But how could he find out who it was if he didn’t realize he even developed feelings for someone else? Would he be able to find out before time was up? Would those feelings even be reciprocated? What about surgery? Could he get it surgically removed like the hanahaki disease only to let those feelings die when it’s removed?

He supposed it was much better than dying, much better than literally drowning on land.

But was it also wise enough to get it removed if the water was forming slowly in his lungs, it would mean a more painful procedure he imagined and deep in his gut, he knew it was probably impossible to get it removed.

Kanata swallowed thickly as he stared down at the multiple fish that now littered the fountain, glad that no one witnessed his heaving and coughing of water and fish. Nazuna however, had asked if everything was alright with Kanata during lunch, noticing that the cyan haired boy didn’t touch his food, much less look well enough.

Which was true, Kanata’s skin looked much paler than it usually did and he looked exhausted, despite having found out about it this morning, it still took a rather heavy toll on him. 

It was the disease coupled with the fact that he had someone he loved-- someone he didn’t even know he had feelings for-- and who knew if said person would even reciprocate his feelings. Would they reject Kanata? Would they accept his feelings?

Would they take pity on Kanata when they found out his condition and “fake” their feelings towards him? 

That didn’t sound too pleasant in his ears. His body would still know that the feelings weren’t properly reciprocated, causing him to still drown and suffer. He didn’t want that, he didn’t want to have pity feelings but he didn’t want to die.

What if his feelings weren’t even someone from his school? That sounded much too silly to even think about, Kanata never really interacted with many people outside of his school anyways, so it definitely had to be someone in this school.

Could it be Souma? Kaoru? Chiaki? Someone from his class? Someone from 3-A? Or someone younger? Could it have been one of the first years? Could it possible be even--

“You’re still here?” 

He was snapped out of his deep thoughts, noting how cold he was getting having sat in the fountain for more than thirty minutes now, raising his head to lock eyes with the person who called out to him, the person standing next to the fountain.

“It’s ‘you’....”


	2. Who do I love?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kanata didn't think someone would find out his condition so quickly, but who would've thought that maybe this would have been a good thing. Perhaps now he could figure out how to survive longer with his help.

_ “You’re still here?” _

_ “It’s ‘you’.....” _

The two stared at each other in silence, the air around them calm and comfortable but Kanata felt the need to cough again, feeling the water rise up and surge up his throat so he doubles over, hands flying towards his mouth as he heaves out the water that spills past his lips and drips down the crevices of his fingers, feeling the way the small koi fish slides along his tongue and past his lips, resting against the palm of his hand when he pulls it away, watching it flop out of his hand and into the fountain to swim with the other few fishes Kanata had coughed up earlier.

The other boy stands there shocked, looking at Kanata with wide eyes, mouth agape before the single question is uttered, “When?”

Kanata blinks for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Just why did he had to be found out, he was so careful but the urge was so strong right then and there, could it be he was one of the people? 

“I ‘found out’ this morning. I do not ‘know’ who it is.” His response seems tired, weary after the session of coughing up the water, leaning himself against the edge of the fountain as he locks eyes with the other boy who hovers over him worriedly.

“Who it is….? Wait, it’s not that hanahaki disease so _why_?” 

“You do not ‘need’ to ‘know’ or ‘worry’ about that,” Kanata quips, heaving a sigh as he slowly clambers out of the fountain to sit on the edge this time, running a hand through cyan colored hair.

He feels the way the other sits next to him, their shoulders touching and warmth practically radiating. It was nice, it felt nice. He didn’t feel the urge to cough up more water at the very least.

The silence stretched on and for once this entire day, Kanata felt at ease. But another thing bothered him, why did he not feel the need to heave up water and a possible fish? It could have been possible his condition paused itself long enough around the one he liked, he hoped that was true and not an assumption, if he could sit in a blissful silence like this, then he’d gladly stick around the boy for as long as he needed to.

“Please… Do not ‘tell anyone’ about this. I do not want ‘anyone’ to know or ‘worry’ about me,” he speaks up after a moment, noting just how too quiet it was, gazing at the other with chartreuse orbs, “Please…. Leo.”

The water loving boy was surprised when Leo merely nodded, looking deep in thought. It was a little unnerving how quiet Leo was, much less not spouting something about inspiration or aliens or space or well, something eccentric. 

Kanata took this time to study Leo’s features, the way his hair was tied into a loose ponytail and thrown over his shoulder, the way his orange hair gleamed and shined under the sunlight, illuminating it even further. Hair that looked silky and smooth despite how forgetful Leo could get to the point of forgetting his own name or getting lost or even forgetting to eat sometimes. 

Leo’s skin looked smooth and flawless as well, then again, being an idol everyone had to make sure they’re skin wasn’t damaged or blemished after all.

He moved to look at Leo’s eyes, watching as they look deep in thought, eyebrows furrowing and nose scrunching as if the ginger was thinking of something complicated-- he probably was considering what he witnessed Kanata just do.

Kanata was startled when Leo whipped his head to look at him, leaning in so close their noses were barely brushing, breaths mingling together and Kanata had the urge to lean away but didn’t, just staring at Leo who stared back, a wide grin forming on the ginger’s lips.

“I just had a great idea Pukata!” Pukata? Ah, Leo must’ve forgotten his name again but he doesn’t bother correcting Leo at the moment, letting the shorter boy continue, “We need to find out who you like so we can cure you!”

Kanata merely stared at Leo, expression blank but still rather troubled. Just how would this be efficient? It’s not like they could run around encountering all the students and figuring out who Kanata liked.

If he was positive, Leo was one of those people.  _ One _ . That was saying something because Kanata was  _ pretty _ sure he had quite a few.

With a sigh, he just shakes his head slowly, wet hair flopping against his face weakly and Leo leans away, a frown on his features that doesn’t seem to really suit him.

“Really, why not? We could always ask the aliens to help Pukata!” And there goes Leo with the alien talk, at least that was something but even with this, Kanata couldn’t help but shake his head once more, causing the frown on Leo’s face to deepen even further.

“Kanata, ‘not’ Pukata. Kanata,” he announces, correcting Leo of his actual name and then continuing on, “besides, I do not ‘know’ who I like. I have not ‘coughed’ or ‘heaved’ fish the entire time I was ‘with you’. But even still I ‘feel’ the way it ‘bubbles and tickles’ the back of my throat,” which was true. Despite all of this, Kanata still felt the water tickling the back of his throat, seemingly stuck there but yet the need or urge to cough it up has yet to appear for him.

That was until he saw Eichi walking by, chatting along with Keito, Wataru and Tori. Kanata practically leaped over on his spot, spewing saltwater from his mouth and from it, accompanied by what looked like a baby jellyfish and a couple of fairly big sized shrimp.

His throat burned and his eyes water and he dry coughed this time, catching his breath and he could vaguely feel Leo patting at his back awkwardly, unsure what to do. 

Once he felt better, he sat back up, wiping his mouth with his sleeve and exhaling a shaky breath, looking back in the direction where Eichi was only to see that the blond was no longer there.

“This is ‘bad’.... I think I am ‘in love’ with multiple people…”

And right then, Leo understood how grave the situation was for Kanata. A look of fear and worry crossed the ginger’s face, twisting into what looked like some sort of pained expression before shaking his head vigorously, trying to dispel any ill-thoughts. 

“It’ll be okay Puka-- I mean Kanata, I’ll help you so you don’t have to worry about anything at all! I’ll make sure no one else knows of your condition. And in the meantime, let’s figure who else it is!” Leo announces, voice slightly wavering as he forced himself to stay positive, Kanata noticed but was gladly thankful for.

But with this revelation, Kanata knew he was in love with Leo and Eichi but just who else was he in love with? Wataru was also there--

Kanata stopped short in his thoughts as he twisted his body to empty more water into the fountain, struggling to breath as he heaved and coughed, body shaking and weak as he finished, tears sliding down his cheeks with how raw his throat felt and how his chest hurt from coughing so much.

_ Wataru too? Just who else? _

No, he should stop those thoughts, lest he wanted to heave up more water and another couple of fishes. 

“Don’t worry Kanata, I’ll do my best to help you! How about we start on getting you a date?”


	3. Dates are in Motion?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo tells Kanata that they'd start on working on a date plan, with who, they don't know yet but mother nature has other plans...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO! I'm so sorry this took forever to update to even publish and post chapter 3. Work life got in the way to the point I ended up losing inspiration to write because my days off at my old job had been split days so it never felt like enough as I did nothing but sleep all day those days. Then I took a break after I left that job because my inspiration had been so low but I'm back and trying to start up again! Without further ado, here's chapter 3 of Pukahaki Disease after so long~

_ “Don’t worry Kanata, I’ll do my best to help you! How about we start on getting you a date?” _

 

A date? Leo was suggesting that Kanata go on a date? With Eichi or Wataru? But there was also the chance of going on said date with Leo, but the ginger boy probably wouldn’t be the best date, considering how he runs off whenever inspiration hits but Kanata found it cute at the very least.

 

It was the lingering question  _ itself  _ that made him worried.

 

Just what would he do when he had to cough more? He couldn’t be excusing himself to the bathrooms more than a couple of times during the date, they would get suspicious. And besides, there was always the possibility of them following him into the bathroom and finding out.

 

He didn’t want anyone to find out anyways but Leo did. Thankfully Leo wasn’t going to tell anyone about Kanata’s current situation and condition. And he hoped that the ginger wouldn’t let it accidentally slip, knowing that sometimes the ginger can get a bit… scatterbrained but that’s what made him so lovable, right? 

 

But how was one supposed to go about on a date? Kanata’s never been on one,  _ much less _ ever been  _ asked _ or asked someone on a date. His ideal date would have just been him in the fountain, while his date was sitting on the side and they’d talk about anything and everything. Maybe he needed advice for a date, would Kaoru willingly help him?

 

Thinking about Kaoru didn’t cause the boy to feel any sort of wave of sickness wash over him, indicating to him that Kaoru wasn’t one of the candidates. Could it be that he just needed  _ one _ of them to fall in love with him? One of the people he could’ve loved?

 

Leo. Eichi (he didn’t know why the emperor was one but he’d probably find out soon enough, Wataru. Three people he confirmed. Just how  _ many _ more could there be? Did he only need one to fall reciprocate his love?  _ All of them _ ? 

 

The thought of it being all of them made his heart sink and blood run cold; it was a scary thought because what would happen if he couldn’t get all of them to reciprocate? He could very well drown with the water in his lungs. 

 

_ No, don’t think about that right now, Kanta,  _ he tells himself, shaking his head to dispel the thoughts and suck in a deep breath to only exhale it slowly. It didn’t feel like there was water in his lungs but just the fact that his throat hurt from the previous times of throwing up, it definitely wasn’t just a bad dream. His stomach hurt from it too.

 

It wasn’t until he felt a tap on his shoulder does he snap to attention, locking eyes with Leo who’s eyebrows were furrowed and a frown on his lips.

 

“You okay? I’ve been calling out your name for the past few minutes!” Ah, he must have been too deep in thought to have noticed Leo trying to gain his attention. Kanata simply smiles and reassures the other he was only in thought, the ginger raising an eyebrow but not questioning it further as he goes on about some extravagant plan to get a date for the marine loving boy.

 

Something about tricking them into going on a date-- to which Kanata piped up that would feel wrong and that eventually they’d find out either way. So Leo proposed asking them straight up, of course saying leave the details of the disease out because then it’d feel more like a pity date; Kanata only wonders if the disease would expose itself either way at some point, once again trying not to let his thoughts grow too dark, he shakes it away to focus back on Leo’s animated way of talking.

 

At some point they had ended up passing by the Light Music club, which the door had been open and the sounds of Rei, Koga, Hinata and Yuuta were talking.

 

Kanata peered inside, causing Leo to stop and turn around, pausing to also peering inside the room. It looked like the usual with Rei and Koga arguing -- more like Koga yelling and Rei smoothly teasing him-- at each other. Suddenly Kanata felt a familiar feeling, hands flying up as Rei caught the movement in the corner of his eye.

 

“Ah, Kanata my old friend. What a pleasure--” Rei’s caught off as he sees Kanata bolting away, standing there in a bit of shock and surprise. Red eyes catch onto Leo who calls after Kanata and running after him. Curiosity takes over the vampire and he strides forward, telling the younger boys’ that he’d be right back with Koga yelling at him to not take too long.

 

It doesn’t take long for Rei to find that Kanata and Leo had retreated to the bathroom and the sounds of vomiting could be heard along with Leo’s worried voice. Kanata was vomiting? 

 

“Kanata. Old friend, is everything okay?” Rei asks as he slowly steps into the bathroom with worry lacing his voice.


End file.
